In the great debate on Android vs. iOS, Android’s market share is always brought up in favor of the Google-backed OS. Recent studies show that Android has a staggering lead over iOS, accounting for more than 50% of all smartphone sales.

A lot of that has to do with the spark in growth Android has experienced over the last 6 months due, at least in part, to Apple’s delayed iPhone announcement. But even with its recent successes, Google’s mobile platform still trails iOS in total number of devices…

After months in beta, Google finally introduced its music service yesterday to the public. During the media event, as Apple generally does, the software giant touted off some of its recent accomplishments. And apparently, Android has just hit 200 million device activations.

That’s double the amount of activations that Google reported at its IO developer conference back in May — quite impressive. But it’s still not enough to top iOS. If you’ll recall, Apple revealed that it has sold over 250 million iOS devices during its iPhone event last month.

But how long can Apple keep its lead? After all, 50 million isn’t a very big margin when you consider how fast Android is growing. It’ll be interesting to see how each platform does this fourth quarter, especially with the holidays around the corner.

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iDB = iDontBelieve apple could do no wrong. market share = devices, lets not forget that apple had a one year head start and massive popularity and still accounts for a paltry 15% of world market share.

Before I even seen who had replayed to this I thought ….Jon Garrett…one mention of android…and there you go…
That’s not ment as a go at you Jon..

Jon Garrett

I know this is an apple site but I use both iOS and Android. I read blog on about 30 sites daily and its so funny how they all pretty much report on the same stories but this site always, always finds a way to spin things in Apple’s favor.

why not just be fair and tell it like it is? what difference does it make to the readers?

I would prefer to know the whole story so I can make an informed decision about what to buy as opposed to some fan boy saying my dads **** is bigger than dad’s.

Anonymous

I think you might just need to see it for the way it is, and the way I see it I’m glad not all people can buy a premium phone thus need to purchase an Android device over iOS. Android is a lot of things, but it isn’t quality nor is it reliable thanks to the manufacturers little efforts…

Anonymous

And what would the whole story be Jon? Please share it with the rest of us, because apparently the post didn’t pass your QC test.

All we did was point out how neck and neck Android and iOS are when it comes to total number of activated devices — which they are.

Your comment that Google has only been around for three years is irrelevant to the story. Just like the fact that there aren’t dozens of manufacturers pushing out 50 different iOS devices at dirt cheap prices is irrelevant. The article isn’t about how each company got to where it’s at.

And I’m curious as to how saying Android has 200 million devices, which Google announced yesterday, and Apple has 250 million devices, which Apple announced last month, is spinning anything in Apple’s favor. Aren’t those just facts?

Even the closing line of the post is fair to both platforms:

“Between Android’s hot streak and the success of the iPhone 4S, anyone could come out on top.”

I love a good debate as much as the next person, but when your [frequent] arguments are against iDB — an Apple-focused site —and the way it reports on Apple news, that’s not debating. That’s trolling.

And I’m pretty sure that we’ve banned you from comments before for this reason, but because of our switch to Disqus you managed to slither back in.

There’s a time and a place for you to voice your opinion on why you think Android is better than iOS, but the comment thread of every iDB post isn’t it. Try me on Twitter, I’m @melvco, and as aforementioned, I love a good debate.

Jon Garrett

“the fact that there are dozen’s of manufacturers pushing out 50 different iOS devices at dirt cheap prices” ?? are you sure you meant to say iOS? Im sure you didn’t so lets talk dirt cheap. $200 for an iPhone 4. $200 for the Motorola Atrix when it came out, $200 for the Samsung infuse when it came out, $200 for the Galaxy S when it came out, $200 for the Galaxy S II when it came out.

Now we have the Galaxy Nexus and HTC Rezound both start at $300.

NONE of the above mentioned phones had any problems selling in mass., in fact the Galaxy S II is hot on the heals of the iPhone 4/4S.

Now, about this banning thing and “slithering” I was somewhat surprised that I was banned. but not for trolling but for disagreeing. part of having a debate is people having different opinions. a dictatorship (like apple’s support forums) is banning people because they criticize you or say something you don’t like.

As for the way you guys print your stories, you’ve done it dozens and dozens and dozens of times and I’m not the only one whose ever called out on it. and its not just because this is a apple fan site, (I still have two i4’s) its because you guys DO title your stories with misleading headlines, you spin the truth and you have even at times outright lied. Its late now and I don’t have time now to go through your site and point this out.

I know that sometimes I can be a bit….um, well. abrasive to say the least but I come to this site and others like it for the latest news on the latest jailbreak, the latest FM and if I should not update to the latest version of iTunes.

then I see stories like this

and I help but comment on what I see, especially if what I’m reading here is very different from what the 29 other sites I read are reporting.

now with that said, you can welcome me back to your site or I’ll leave….voluntarily, remove you from my favorites and we can both live happily ever after.

You people are stupid how many phone manufacture use android like about 6 and apple is only 1 if android only use 1 phone manufacture they would only have about 10 million phone sold I hate when people compared android and iOS just use what you like

Jon Garrett

you seem to be the only one whose stupid here. there are more than 6 manufactures selling Android devices and if here was only 1, there would be a hell of a lot more than 10 million.

Excuse me r u a fandroid cuz if u r then ur a troll, because if google made android phones only android would’ve failed a long time ago, Apple is a single company whose revenue relies mostly on the sale of its ipods, iphones, and ipads. If apple decided to give companies who would jump at the chance to make ios based phones the number of ios phones would go to a number in which android phones would have no way of reaching unles it expanded its manufacturers, also many android companies would gladly switch to ios if possible, thye can’t cuz Apple doesn’t want its software fragmented the way android is and wants it to control the software and the user experience from step 1 all the way to step…..

Jon Garrett

5 years for iOS and 3 for Android, even more impressive.

Josue Hernandez

I have used many android phones as well as all the different iPhone generations and i have to say i still prefer the iPhone. I mean there are things i wish my iPhone had that Android has but the same goes for the android phones i have used and tested. the android OS is an awesome OS but sadly there are no phone manufacturers good enough to use its full functionality and to top it off because of all the different manufacturers the apps dont work across all the phones. and really the iPhone is alot more user friendy than android. you have to account for the fact that alot of people barely use 2% of their brains so they need a simpler phone.

Painman

So, what you’re saying is that the iPhone is really popular because 98% of it’s users are too stupid to own an Android phone? You’re going to be really popular here lol.

I agree with @Jon Garrett, if the news stories here were less biased,it would be a far better blog.

Josue Hernandez

no their not too stupid its just they well yea maybe that sounded wrong but my other option was saying they are too lazy to learn a new OS

Anonymous

phandroid does the same exact thing for android. you gotta check out multiple sites to get the entire picture. that’s what Jon Garrett does. I see his name pop up on all kinds of sites.

Painman

I don’t know about phandroid I have seen very little of it seeing as I don’t yet have any android devices.

What I do know though is that this blog isn’t just biased towards iOS it’s also entirely biased against any form of healthy competition in the market and that’s a bad thing.

I like lots of things about my iPhone but I could enjoy so much more if Apple were less concerned in anhialating Android and spent their energy trying to be better. Then we won’t have to wait 18 months for notification centre, wi-fi sync and widgets to name but a few

Jon Garrett

yes, I visit phandroid, other Android sites and other Apple sites. checking out multiple sites IS the only way to get the entire picture. if you rely on sites like this, they’re gonna tell you only what favors iOS never the bad and Ive seen plenty of stories all across the web that don’t bode well for apple and on this site, not a peep about it, not one word.

If you’re going to do news, do all of it., good and bad. you’re not doing your readers an favors by withholding news from them or lying to them.

Jon Garrett

“apps that don’t work across all phones” the same is true for iOS, you have people with iPod touch, iPhone 2G and 3G (and soon 3GS) and they cannot run any app that requires iOS 4.X

please tell me in what way the iPhone is more user friendly than Android. what does iOS do easily that Android cannot do?